It was an unusually sunny yet cool day in Pacifica. So my bf and I decided to check out Nick's for lunch since Moonraker was closed. We were instantly unimpressed yet decided to take our chances anyways. The reviews were decent, but not solidly convincing. The first turn off was the establishment itself. The bar is at the entrance and packed with locals and laughter. We were going to sit at the bar where good service is usually guaranteed, but it was crowded and also dark and dank. A stale smell permeated but somewhat faded out closer to the lounge area closest to the coast. Unfortunately, the parking lot obstructs the nice ocean view. We decided to hang out in the lounge since the wait for dining seemed to be excessively long. We sat in our antiquated vinyl brown seating in the corner of the lounge and pretty much scoped out the rest of the place while waiting for our drinks which took forever despite the lounge being sparsely populated. The ceilings are low popcorn ceiling like texture with brown beams and old carpet which possesses old musty scents- probably from the time it was called Rockaway Cafe. There is a dance floor with a stage indicating live music. However, the dated condition of this place is not the worst part of it. The service is pretty bad. Our waiter took our drink orders and advised us we could only order appetizers and sandwiches in the lounge area and handed us two menus. Fine enough. So we browse through the menu only looking at the appetizers. We decided on the steamed clams, but he said we couldn't order those for the lounge. Huh? They are in the Appetizer section of the menu. So, then apologizes and retrieves two tiny bar menus instead with pretty much everything in the appetizer section but the clams. This is where it gets ridiculous. He disappears for approximately twenty minutes. Our drinks are empty, yet we see him attending adjacent tables. We only had a drink each, wanted to order more drinks, try some fried zucchini and sauteed calamari. This guy passed us multiple times and totally ignored us. A manager happened to be walking by at the same time we just decided to ask him for the check which he conveniently didn't hear us ask for although he stood at the table next to us. Thanks to her we got our check right away. We left cash and took off to the Miramar Restaurant in Half Moon Bay. Seriously, who wants to spend their Saturday afternoon trying to chill out over food, drinks and spend money with crappy lackadaisical service? We certainly aren't up for it. We'll never come here again. There's too many good places around to bother. Next time we're going to Moonraker. read more

Being a local I'm able to take full advantage of what Nicks has to offer. Service can't get any better, the staff make dinning a delight! I'm disappointed they got rid of their fried zucchini appetizer. I'm a huge fan of their crab sandwich and deep fried oysters! Nicks is perfect for any occasion. You can't beat the location it's steps from the beach and makes for a beautiful sunset. Let's eat! read more

Topnotch all the way! I've yet to have a bad experience. Perfectly seared deep sea scallops, light golden crispy deep fried prawns, Dishes of the Day to Die for. Need I say more?! I can't wait to take my dad there. Did I mention that the staff are super also. #go #nicks read more

Always fresh, always delicious! My family has been going here for decades. Good food, fun atmosphere.

This seems to be another one of those places that is able to charge more for its food just because it has a fantastic view (which, at night, you can barely see anyway!). Came here last night (on Valentine's day, funnily enough) to grab some drinks and snacks before our school's basketball game. Being heart day, it was PACKED, and we were just able to pull some small tables together right next to the dance floor. There was a live band & singer, so with that, all the people waiting for a table, and all the couples around us (surrounded by cheesy heart balloons everywhere), it was pretty loud and hard to hear the person across from you. Anyway, for food, our table shared a bunch of appetizers since we weren't allowed to order real food sitting at our little tables. We got chicken tenders, potato skins, the smoked salmon & trout plate, their famous grilled crab & tomato sandwich, and a few other things I can't remember... Being appetizers, nothing was spectacular - just your typical bar food at too high prices. Their crab & tomato sandwich did indeed come with a lot of crab, but I think I like crab cakes better. Takes a little of the wet mayo-iness out of the bite. Despite the gorgeous views, I don't think I would be back; maybe to try out their actual food menu, but it's a bit of a drive from me, so chances are slim. read more

The food here was ok to say the least. I liked the freshly grilled garlic bead that was served with our meal. The crab sandwich that my dining companion had was delicious. My dish was not bad, but it wasn't great either. The shellfish in the entree I ordered was a little bit on the Overcooked side. The decor could use a little revamping. We I entered the place I felt like I stepped back into the 70s. I won't regularly go here. But I would come back for their crab sandwich! read more

A hidden treasure in Pacifica. Their seafood is delicious, but what I really come here for is their CRAB SANDWICH. I've never tried a crab sandwich before trying one here because imitation crab put between two slices of bread just didn't seem at all appealing. But once I tried it here, O M G! Sooooo gooooood! The price of the crab sandwich is a bit high ($20+), but keep in mind they use real crab, they aren't stingy on their crab portions (which most restaurants are when it comes to real crab), the spread they use is good, and the sandwich itself is big. I'm already full before I finish half of the sandwich. Another great thing about this place is that it's right by the beach where you have a beautiful view of the ocean. You can never go wrong when you have great scenery just a few feet away as you eat. This restaurant is a bit old and could look like it hasn't even been renovated since it's opened, but none of that even matters when you try their food. They also have a stage and bar area on the other side of the restaurant where they play live music on the weekends, which is also mainly occupied by elder folks. read more

I took my mom, who is visiting San Francisco, to see Pacifica. For lunch we ended up here and it was a great decision. She had the fish and chips and I went for the grilled fish of the day. Both were just delicious. The dishes where rather big, but we finished it all. read more

I visit 3-4 times per year. I really enjoy the crab sandwich and eggplant fries. It's unique and has great flavor. It's the only thing I order. The ocean view is fantastic! The 1970's wharf decor is not my personal choice and I prefer to cast my eyes out to the ocean view. There is a nice trail near the restaurant to hike on to burn off those calories. read more

This was my first time here for dinner. I came on a Friday night. I love the scenery in front of the ocean. It's located next to a motel which you would think parking is difficult but not at all as long as you do not mind getting your car wet from the large title waves. It was a very busy Friday night with a jazz band playing. We were seated immediately. Servers and hostess were friendly. I ordered the teriyaki steak plate rare. It was nice and tender. Large piece of steak which is always great. It came with a baked potato a grilled pineapple and green beans. The green beans were not so great not much flavor. We also ordered the linguini marinara w meatballs. That was also a large plate but wasn't too fond of the marinara sauce it was a little too sour. Over all I give it four stars for great service, scenery and great food portions. I will def come back for another fun dinner night with my girls. read more

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Ate in the bar on a Sat. around 7ish before the band started........cheeseburger on grilled sourdough with side green salad with blue cheese dressing, both excellant. Potato skins were amazing! Super service!! There is a larger menu for the restaurant side. Very crowded and tight tables......and old, old, old dumpy decor, did I say old. read more

What made our birthday celebration so amazing was our server Tiffany she was so on top of everything. There was 20 people and wow she was a true sweet heart if everyone could be as amazing and on top of the job like her I would come here just for the service read more

Nick's is classic old San Francisco. The restaurant (in one form or another) has been at this location for over a hundred years. The area used to be a vacation spot for San Franciscans and it still has that feel. Kitchy decorations, grand bar, and solid (huge!) servings of good food. People come from all over for the 'famous' crab sandwich. Which is justified, it is really good BUT it really is a crab salad sandwich. It's perfect. Comes on toasted sourdough with fries. If you want to delve into a pure crab sandwich, go for the avocado and crab version. This one comes on rye bread with avocado on the side - but the sandwich is piled high with pure unadulterated crab. Either sandwich will satisfy your crab craving. The rest of the menu is similar, large portions of quality, tasty food. The burgers are excellent, fries are crispy, and drinks are poured strong. Nick's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will usually be a wait at peak times, but it moves quickly and you can always have a seat at the bar. Friday and Saturday, live band. Sunday Jazz. read more

I've been to Nick's a number of times over the past few decades and it still remains a nice "old school" seafood restaurant. Took some friends from HK and they really liked how a piece of old America was preserved. I had to smile since Nick's hasn't updated anything for ages but keeps things clean and in good repair. At least the kitchen is somewhat modernized. The funny thing is that our friend took some pictures of the dance floor and remarked how it reminded her of some old Elvis films she's seen. Now the food: fish tacos, fish and chips, the deluxe burger, and the crab sandwich. Everything was very good and fresh. The chowder is really creamy and a bit starchy but otherwise it was not too salty and there was enough clams to satisfy. We made reservations to get a window seat for lunch but it was really foggy and couldn't see much anyway. For a Tuesday lunch service, the place was about half full. That was fine since the food came out quickly and hot. Service was very good and we must have hit it right. The price is $$ and that's about what is expected at a place like this. Good place to eat with friends. read more

Food: Do you like all-American bar food? Menu's that haven't changed to become super healthy? You know... FOOD food? Nick's is a good spot for it. I can order an appetizer and that's enough to fill me up. The potato skins are lush with cheese and bacon. Jalapeno poppers are divine. Their sliders were awesome, and the garlic fries were sublime. Full dishes here are solid. The burger is more than I can eat in a sitting. Drink: Full bar, good bartenders. Perhaps not the fastest but I'd rather have someone who can make a good drink slow than someone who can serve me crap nonstop. I did have one bad drink here, and the bartender replaced it with something else at no cost. I don't normally get very diva about a drink, but the more I tried the worse it got. That was a singular experience, handled quite well. Staff/Service: Great folks, very nice. Not the fastest, but that's the least of my concerns at a place like this. No complaints. Ambiance: Divey, old time, 70's ish. Right on the ocean with a great view though, and it's clean. Clean is good. read more

Pros: - Oceanside view and an un-ironic beachside atmosphere - Fried calamari was not overcooked - Staff was friendly (but not very quick) Cons: - Tourists and their noisy kids - Overpriced (would've been a four-star joint, otherwise) Other Notes: - I was expecting their "fAmOuS cRaB sAnDwIcH" to be a sorry impersonation of a crab sandwich, but appx 1/3 lb of crab stuff on some serious buttered sourdough toast proved me wrong. Still probably won't come back, though. As tasty as everything was, I don't think what I received justified what I paid. read more

Oh, man! This place has NOT changed. Not that I've ever eaten here before, but I just KNOW it hasn't changed in 40 years. Reminds me of all the Greek-owned seafood restaurants I used to eat in as a child. I should know, my family also ran one! Same menu, same greek salad, same family pictures on the walls... Love it! They have a massive bar (filled with salty customers), a live band, and a dance floor (!?!?!?) ala Carnival Cruise 1981. Awesomeness indeed! Go here for the ambiance, a drink, a bite, the VIEW. You'll catch yourself feeling nostalgic, perhaps for no reason at all. xoxo read more

I was referred to this place by a client of mine in Pacifica. As she said, they have the best crab sandwich and freshest oyster ever. Ashley was our server and she was super nice and helpful on choosing the right food juice and dessert to satisfy our needs. I highly recommend this place. They are nice, professional and reasonably priced. I will definitely come back here in future . Thanks Ashley. You're awesome. read more

Nick's Seafood Restaurant - Fresh oysters. So good!!! - Seafood Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Ordered 2 crab sandwich to go, came to pick them up before heading to the beach and it was busy in the restaurant, always a great sign. Enjoyed our lunch right on the beach and it was awesome. Good amount of crab meat with nice bread, pickle and fries to go with it. Melted right in my mouth. I will be back for sure! read more

Nick's Seafood Restaurant - Crab sandwich was delish! - Seafood Near Me - Pacifica, California

Hopefully when you come you'll get Jim R to wait on you. Jim brings us back over & over We love his humor & kindness. Our food was fresh & delicios read more

Hospitality - Good Management. We went there with our 1 month old. They did everything to make us comfortable. Even they arranged for a window seat. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable. Location - Great view of the ocean. Food - fish and chips , fried calamRy and tacos are great. read more

Very good food and excellent atmosphere. I would have given it 5 stars but the waiter forgot to bring our appetizer and I didn't like the mushrooms cooked in wine. Beautiful beach front location I just wish we had went in the daytime to enjoy the view better. The prices were decent and quality of food good ! read more

Nick's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Outstanding crab sandwich, just outstanding. Copious amount of crab on two slices of toasted butters sour dough bread. Just really really good! !!!! read more

Armando was our waiter. Great and quick customer service. Reminiscent of the old 1950s and 60s roadside mom-and-pop restaurants. It's been around since 1927. Great diner food. read more

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been going there 34 years and good food, consistant...great chowder and thestaff is superb

Crab sandwich was tasteless. In passing I was asked if I wanted avocado on the sandwich, I said sure. The sandwich was 18.99 and they added 2.00 for the avocado. So I had a $21 tasteless sandwich! Service was marginal. Its just that kind of place. Beer was cold. Old guy at the bar was full of himself. Some people like this, I don't. Left feeling overcharged and disappointed. read more

Nick should have a spectacular view of the ocean given it's location, but somehow they've managed to aim all the windows at a half wall in the parking lot. The interior doesn't have much going for it either. It's not that the place is unclean -- just dingy. The food redeems the place. The portions are generous and the preparation is rich. Vegetarians and dieters should stay away -- nothing for you here. The prices aren't crazy, but they are higher than I'd expect for this level of food. read more

Brought my all star team (El Cerrito Sluggers) here after beating the Pacifica cages for an excellent team dinner and everything was amazing. Fettuccine was cool, burgers were excellent, crab sandwich (they're specialty) was ridiculous! SERVICE WAS A-1!!! I'm mad I can't remember my server's name (beers were coming cold and fast like my base runners ) And the owner is such a stand up dude he saw how happy the kids were he PICKED UP THEIR TAB!!!! U just don't get throwback hospitality like that everyday nor everywhere!! Loved it so much I brought the rest of my family here three days later (after we won the 10u championship of he 2016 Hoop Dog Classic ) I'll never ride past this spot again without stopping thru at least for a beer! read more

Nick's Seafood Restaurant - Kids were happy as hell because they won and had good ass burgers - Seafood Near Me - Pacifica, California

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We love this place. Service is exceptional - especially the host Blair! She always has a smile on her face and is full of energy. Nick's is a great little getaway from the city. We always kick ourselves in the butt when we come - it's so close and still feels like a getaway. read more

Wife and I shared the trout arugula salad and onion rings. The salad was AWESOME. Moscow mule was a little on the wimpy side but it was tasty. Tried a pineapple martini for the 1st time and I would totally recommend it. Prices are not cheap but they are not over the top for a beach side restaurant. Our server Ana B was great. We were indecisive in what we wanted and she kept coming back with a smile every I time. We ate around mid day so we did not catch live music or dancing. We will definitely come back next time we are up the coast :) read more

Came here for breakfast and it was just okay. Got the half cracked crab for an appetizer. Waiter recommended we get it marinated and the marinade turned out to be pretty overpowering. Chicken fried steak was pretty generic. Ribeye was overcooked and definitely not worth $26. Some of the whites were runny on our eggs. Ham and cheese omelette was super cheesy which is good if you're in to that. read more

This place has amazing service. Everyone is super friendly and this place has an amazing view. If u are a vegan, there is limited options. The vegan burger patty is bland and plain but the fried pickles are a whole another level! They are so addicting, i could eat a whole ton. read more

Nick's Seafood Restaurant - Vegan burger with fried pickles - Seafood Near Me - Pacifica, California

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Girls birthday brunch! Called ahead to make reservations - easy enough! Heard from other friends that this place is good and they were right! Love the decor - feels old style dining - and the great view. Seated promptly but did wish we got there early to have a drink inthe bar. Service was very good- ordered drinks and appetizers within a few minutes of being seated - our group ordered the calamari and garlic bread! Loved the calarami - cooked just right. I had the signature hot crab sandwich - next time I'll ask them to add cheese! Others had the crab louie or seafood louie or crab cakes - Server was happy to accommodate extra requests for items not listed on the salad like avocado as one person remembered it having it at one point. Prices are reasonable - come with an appetite as the portions are very geneours. Easy parking in the lot and a great ocean view. Great place on a sunny day! read more

Delightful dining experience from appetizer to dessert...and more. Nick's is unpretentious and old-school, and I love the place for that reason. We had a window table overlooking the beach and surf at sunset, on a Saturday evening (making a reservation on weekends is a good idea, it's a popular spot). You couldn't ask for a more beautiful setting. Our server Jessica was outstanding: perfectly attentive, informative, friendly, and laughed at my husband's corny jokes; she never seemed rushed even though it was a busy, busy evening . She was a gem, quite gracious throughout our dinner. The best sourdough garlic bread...fresh, tangy & crunchy...comes with the meal. Stars of the dinner: Fried calamari appetizer, not overly breaded, just right. Eggplant fries...never had these anywhere else, and they are addicting. Steak topped by a huge, perfectly seasoned, succulent crab cake drizzled with Sriracha hollandaise. Superb petrale sole doré, very fresh. Even the vegetables du jour were beautifully done and out of the ordinary, featuring heirloom pink carrots! Dessert was good...Bananas Foster for me and a SLAB (not the usual sliver) of Mudd Pie for my husband. And then there was musical dessert after dinner. We strolled over to the lounge to enjoy the swingin' live blues band and a spin around the dance floor. Great date night! Don't come here looking for trendy cutting-edge cuisine, hipster decor, or if you are on a diet. This is a classic coastside seafood restaurant, with quality food served in generous portions. Nick's has a charming retro ambiance, a family-owned restaurant with deep local Pacifica roots since 1927. We enjoyed it immensely and will go back again...I recommend highly! read more

Went here with 10 month old son for early dinner and booked a table for 6:45 but when we arrived we were told our table had been given away. It took ages for them to find another table and even longer for the food to arrive. Food only arrived at 8pm by which time baby had had enough so we had to leave. Manager was totally unsympathetic (said we arrived 20 minutes late which is not true) and we had to box our own food at the table to take away. Food (what we managed to eat anyway) was very average for the relatively high prices. Not recommended. read more

This restaurant was great!!! I would recommend it to everyone!!! We ordered for appetizer the feta cheese and garlic- REAL roasted garlic cloves and roasted tomatoes on the feta! My grandma really loved the olives!!! For our meal, my grandpa ordered the Fish and Chips and really enjoyed it!! My grandma ordered the sol with almonds and loved it! And I ordered the Nick's Famous Crab Sandwich and it was AMAZING! Now wonder it was famous! They put a tomato in with the crab and it worked really well!!! The bread looked like they made it in house and it was delicious!! Even the bread they gave us to snack on was so fresh and with minced garlic! Even though I'm not a huge fan of garlic, my grandma loves it, so it worked out very well! Service was very kind and very attentive to our drinks and checked to see if we liked our meal! Who wouldn't! Thank you for our meal! It was amazing!!! read more

My husband had a HUGE burger which he says was good. I had the fish n chips with coleslaw. The fish was chewey like it had been frozen too long and there was more onion in the slaw. More than cabbage. It was full and quite noisy. Couldn't have a normal conversation sitting next to my husband. I rate this place 2 stars, average, nothing to recommend. read more

My husband has talked about Nick's since we started dating over 20 years ago. Today was our first time as a family to eat there. Let's say the food did not disappoint. We had the combo seafood salad, kids had the meatball and fettuccini, grilled cheese and a burger. Staff was very attentive and made sure drinks were filled, our check was delivered timely and overall seating was great. read more

Very good fresh fish restaurant with good service. The scenery is excellent. Ask for seats near the window! Had a beautiful crab sandwich. Well worth the price.. read more

Old school, but upgraded Fab views The place is huge Everyone at my table loved their food Waiters were VERY attentive . . .I was sucking down the last drop of my water and the waiter noticed and came by with more. SERVICE! read more